Perhaps they did not label the soup before putting it away – again! Or they didn’t show up on time, or put out the proper signage, or face the aisle again.
We’re tired and it’s already been a long day.
Then without really realizing it we find ourselves vocalizing our upset out loud – complaining to those who happen to be around.
And sometimes those who are around are our front-line staff.
One of our many responsibilities as a manager is to govern ourselves in such a way as to not do damage to the team.
Talking poorly, grumbling, or processing out loud with staff, about staff is doing damage.
No staff person wants to find out that their manager was griping about them – it is just plain bad form.
Since we know there will be times when we will be caught off guard with frustrations, we need to plan now for how we will re-balance so as not to be in this compromising situation.
Perhaps we establish a peer who will be our one confidential listener who will listen without commiserating and we both remember to go to a private location. Or perhaps it is a walk outside or ten deep breaths.
Whatever it is, we need to figure out what will keep us from broadcasting our upset out loud that could be heard by other team members.
Plan now. It is hard enough dealing with the provoking incident and our ensuing emotions without adding to the mix the need for damage control.
As I’ve always said, managing people starts with managing ourselves.
We got this,